his moment in history described by the ancient historian Herodotus was
perhaps one of the greatest military undertakings in history given the

current technology. The accounts relate that the great Persian king, Xerxes
amassed an army of 1,700,000 men for his invasion of Greece in 480 BC . An
entire city was needed to feed the army just two meals, and an entire river
ran dry when they drank. And huge quantities of silver coins were struck to
finance the massive military payroll and all the expenses of huge military
operations. The Hellespont was the water way at least a mile wide connecting
the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea and separating Europe from Asia
M i n o r. In order to move his vast army, Xerxes commanded his engineers,
mostly Phoenecians and Egyptians, to build a bridge. To do this, 674 ships
were tied together in a double row and planks were laid over the decks. The
planks were covered with bru s h wood and dirt to create a road. X e r xe s
invaded Greece and very nearly succeeded in conquering the civilized world.

s the Persians moved through nort h e rn Greece, they were met at the
pass of Thermopylae, where the 300 Spartans led by Leonidas fought to

the last man, and successfully delayed the Persian advance long enough for
the Greek cities to prepare. Although Xerxes captured Athens, the Athenians
had fled with their fleet to the nearby island of Salamis where the Pe r s i a n
fleet was defeated by the more experienced Athenian navy. The army of the
allied Greek city-states, led by Spartans was able to defeat the Persian army
at Plataea in 479 BC and effe c t i vely ended Xerxe s ' attempted conquest of
Greece.

e r xes is long dead, and his observations on the brevity of human
existence still applies today, even though we ave rage more than twice

the usual life span of the ancients. By collecting, studying, and handling the
coins of the ancients, our human experience can be greatly enhanced. In our
hands we have relics of great kings who commanded huge armies to

conquer kingdoms now vanished. These huge treasures of precious metals
that are now unearthed from the paths of these ancient armies are
sometimes the only tangible links that we have. N ow you can expand yo u r
horizons to the Fifth Century BC with a modest contribution to the Jonathan
K. Kern Co.

his hoard of silver was composed of over 100 pounds of struck sigloi. A
single siglos averages 5.55 grams of nearly pure silver and depicts the

Great King of Persia as an archer in an action pose. Some interpret his
posture as the archaic art expression of running, and other describe him as
kneeling.These coins were struck with a heavy sledge hammer on very thick
o blong planchets, much like silver bu l l e t s, with a hand held upper die
depicting the archer. The lower die was probably imbedded in wood or stone
to secure it.The lower, or reverse die of these coins, was used in the manner
of the very first coins ever produced in the world.This lower die was a roughly
rectangular raised metal lump, appearing in hundreds of my s t e ri o u s
variations. The raised reverse die creates hundreds of mysterious variations.
The raised reverse die creates an incuse impression for the backs of the
s i g l o i . Museum studies now in progress utilize the reverse incused
impressions for quick die referencing, since the obverse impression of the
Great King is frequently off center. These coins represented a huge explosion
in the production of coined money, and were struck rapidly to fill the need for
pre-weighed silver authorized by a powerful ruler.

he Great King is shown holding a spear and a bow on the sigloi attributed
to the Asia Minor mint of Sardeis, in Lydia and a bow and a dagger on the

other type which is possibly all from a different mint further south. Frequently
they are countermarked with tiny punches by merchants or bankers, possibly
to attest to the quality of the silver.

Spear and bow VF ............................................

$77.

Dagger and bow VF..........................................

$77.

One of each type in VF, the pair, only ........................................................................

$150.

One spear, one dagger, the pair in Fine......................................................................

$70.

Very unusual grade of XF each .................................................................................

$277.

Hoard lots, mixed grades, at least 1 XF, 20 VF's and 79 more. 100 coins only ..........

$2977.

Treasure of Xerxes

Huge Hoard of Silver Buried Circa 450 BC

And now, as he looked and saw the whole Hellespont covered with the vessels of his

fleet and all the shore and every plain about Abydos as full as possible of men, Xerxes
congratulated himself upon his good fortune; but after a little while he wept. His uncle
A rtabanus, who was with him at the time, asked about this strange expression of
contradictory feelings. "I was thinking," Xerxes replied, "and it came into my mind how
pitifully short human life is...."

Herodotus VII, 45-46

JONATHAN K. KERN

continued

Obverse

200%

Reverse 100%

Obverse

200%

Reverse 100%

Vologases III, 105-147 A.D. s i l ver dra c h m . O bv. :

diademed head of Vologases. Rev.:King enthroned,
holding bow. The skillfulness of Pa rthian cava l ry
archers was legendary. Abt. Unc................... $77.

Vologases IV, 147-191 A.D. silver drachm.Obv.:head

of king we a ring tiara? or helmet, with ear flaps.
Rev.: king enthroned, holding bow. Abt. Unc. $77.

Parthian Silver

S i l ver drachm of Shapur I, 240-270 A.D. O bv. : bust of Shapur. R ev. : a t t e n d a n t s

flanking fire altar. This great Persian king was best known for his capture of the
Roman emperor Va l e rian I in 260 A.D. As a captive in his court Shapur used
Valerian as a footstool.After Valerian's death Shapur had Valerian's body stuffed
and displayed in a Zooroastrian temple. EF $177.; VF-EF $117.; VF ........

$77.

Rare Sassanian Silver

125%

100%

125%

Phoenecia, the city of Byblos, from whence the word Bible

is deri ve d . B y blos was an ancie nt center for the
production of papy ru s, on which many early scri p t u r e s
were wri t t e n . 400-333 B. C., silver 1/8 shekel, about 3/4
gram.Obv.:Greek hoplites (heavily armored mercenaries)
in a Phoenecian galley, above a hippocamp (type of sea
serpent).Rev.:lion attacking a bull.Cleaned bright white.
EF $77.; VF $47.; F .................................................

$27.

VF Lily Bronze

J e rusalem bronze Prutah (about 14mm), stru ck by John

H y c a r nu s, 132-130 B. C., as vassal of Antiochus V I I ,
Seleukid King of Syri a . John was the son of Simon the
Maccabee, and the nephew of the legendary hero Judah
M a c c a b e e. O bv. : L i l y, a much used flower decoration on
the Temple and priestly robes. Rev.:upside down anchor,
as stored on a galley ready for use, and the name of
Antiochus in Greek. The persistent use of the anchor
d u ring the next 150 years of coinage referred to the
importance of the seacoast cities of the Holy Land, where
t rade routes by sea and by land intersected. VF $197.;
Fine $67.; VG $27.; G..............................................

$12.

VF Judaean

B r o n ze Prutah of John Hycarnus I, 130-104 B. C., as high

priest and head of the council of the Jews. John Hycarnus
was the first Maccabean, or Hasmonean, to issue coins.
He was a political and military genius and built a sound
foundation for the young Judaean kingdom which took a
couple generations of his descendants to waste and ruin.
O bv. : d o u ble cornu c o p i a e, pomegranate in middle.
Rev.:Hebrew inscription in wreath.Uncleaned VF $127.;
Fine $47.; VG ..........................................................

$27.

Judah Ari s t o bulus I, 104-103 B. C. was the eldest son of John

H y c a rnus I who proclaimed himself king, and adopted the
Greek name meaning " f riend of the Hellenes." He threw his
mother and 3 of his brothers in prison, and inadve rt e n t l y
had his friendly brother assassinated because of his
p a ra n o i a . Either illness or his heavy guilt killed him quick l y.
VF $277.; F $177.; VG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $77.

VF Widow's Mites

B r o n ze Prutah of Alexander Ja n n a e u s, 103-76 B. C.

Jannaeus was a capable ruler and general, but often in
conflict with the Phari s s e s. O bv. :a n c h o r, "King Alex a n d e r "
in Greek. R ev. : Star of eight rays surrounded by a diadem,
sometimes Hebrew letters between rays or outside
d i a d e m . The W i d ow 's Mite of Mark 12:41-44 could have
been any of the small bronze coins circulating in Ju d a e a
d u ring the lifetime of Chri s t . The Prutah of Jannaeus we r e
s t ru ck in such vast quantities that statistically they become
the most likely candidates. T h ey certainly circulated for a
long time. Archaeologists have found them in deposits of
the Roman period as late as 300 A.D. Coin dealer hearsay
relates the discove ry of a vast hoard of Jannaeus bronze s,
totaling perhaps 200,000 coins. A caravan carrying a mint
shipment was perhaps attacked during the civil war ra g i n g
from 95-89 B. C. H ow do you hide 850 pounds of coins in a
few minutes? Dump them down the well at your oasis and
hope that you surv i ve the battle. C rudely stru ck, all nicely
c l e a n e d . Fine-V F $19. e a c h . Ve ry Fin e+ $37.;
C h . EF $77.; 3 F-VF fo r ...........................................

$47.

More Widow's Mites, VF

Different bronze Prutah of Alexander Jannaeus, 103-76 B.C.

O bv. : H e b r ew inscription in wreath " Yehonatan the High
P riest and the Counci l of the Jew s." R ev. : D o u bl e
c o rnucopiae adorned with ri bb o n s, pomegranate in
middle. Fine $19.; VF $37.; EF................................

$77.

GRADING of Judaean bronze s. These coins are
g e n e rally poorly stru ck on defe c t i ve planchets with
crude dies, by hand.They have been buried and need
light to heavy cleaning, and corrosion has frequently
o c c u r r e d . In general, a VF will show 80% of the
intended design, a Fine will show 60%, a VG 40%, or
will be fine but with rougher surfa c e s, or a more
irregular planchet, and a G will show about 20% of the
int ended design. Collectors never buy Ju d a e a n
b r o n zes for their aesthetic appreciation, but Ju d a e a n
bronzes sell by the thousands for their antiquity, origin,
and historical and religious significance.

B r o n ze Prutah of John Hycarnus II, 67 and 63-40 B. C.

John was engaged i n a civil war with his brother,
Aristobulus II, and sought the aid of Pompey the Great of
R o m e. Po m p ey besiege d Jerusal em, defe a t e d
Aristobulus, and installed John as the "ethnarch" or ruler
of the people. The Roman gove rnor in Antioch, Syri a ,
administ ered seve ral prov i n c e s, including Ju d a e a .
O bv. : d o u ble cornu c o p i a e, pomegrante in the middle.
Rev.: Hebrew inscription in wreath. Uncleaned VF $127.;
Fine $47.; VG ..........................................................

$27.

Fine

Bronze Prutah of Mattathias Antigonus, 40-37 B.C., son of

Aristobulus II, sought the military aid of the Parthian King
Orodes II, allegedly with a gift including 500 Jew i s h
wo m e n . Mattathias and the Pa r thian army occupied
J e ru s a l e m . At least one historian accuses Mattathias of
gnawing off his uncle Hycarnus II's ears, so he could no
longer be the high priest of the Jews, since the high priest
was required to be without bodily blemish.Antigonus then
claimed that office. Herod (l ater the Great) of t he
Idumaean dynasty, and governor of Galilee, fled to Rome
to enlist support, and where he was officially designated
King of Judaea.Herod and the Roman legions besieged
J e rusalem, and captured it in 37 B. C. and exe c u t e d
Mattathias, ending the Hasmonean dynasty. Obv.:Double
c o rnu c o p i a e, ear of barl ey in middle. R ev. : H e b r ew fo r
Mattatayah in wreath. Very crude, Fine $97.; VG ....

$47.

VF+

Bronze Prutah of Herod "the Great," 40-4 B.C., are perhaps

another strong candidate for the actual widow 's mite,
since they were issued in large numbers, for a long reign
and the smallest, poorly made examples capture the
essence of the para bl e. When Herod ordered t he
execution of two of his sons, Augustus remar ked that "It is
better to be Herod's pig than his son." Herod had also
executed his wife, and anyone else under his rule of
whom he fe a r e d . Herod ordered the "Massacre of the
I n n o c e n t s " M a t t h ew 2:16-18, which was the mass
execution of all Jewish male infants and to ddlers
anywhere near Bethlehem, where he had heard a future
king of the Jews would be born.With taxes he extracted
from the populace he did rebuild the Te m p l e, and other
p u blic buildings in Jeru s a l e m . He built artificial harbors,
palaces, and a series of palace fortresses, including the
famous Masada. O bv. : A n c h o r, Greek for "King Herod".
R ev. : d o u ble cornu c o p i a e, caduceus in middle, dots
above. VF $147.; Fine $47.; VG...............................

$17.

Abt. Unc.

Au g u s t u s, 31 B. C. to 14 A.D., was second of the Twe l ve

Caesars of the Roman Empire. He ordered the census
that took Joseph and Mary back to Bethlehem about 4
B.C. to register for his empire wide taxation. Luke 2:1-7.
S i l ver denari u s , stru ck 2 B . C. to 14 A.D., with the
grandsons of Au g u s t u s, Caius and Lucius, standing on
the reverse with spe ars, shields and sacri f i c i a l
implements. This issue usually has odd shaped planchets,
off center stri ke s, and va rious banke r 's test mark s. A b t .
U n c . $ 4 9 7 . ; E F - AU $397.; EF $277.; VF $177.; F $137.;
VG $97.; G ..............................................................

$57.

Silver tetradrachm struck during the reign of Augustus at the

Antioch mint, 31-17 B. C. The Romans continued using
almost the exact designs of the last Seleukid Greek King,
Philip Philadelphos . It has been suggested that this coin
could have been the type from the fish's mouth, Matthew
17:24.At any rate, they circulated heavily throughout the
E a s t . The money changers in the Temple were there to
exchange coins like these, about 75% silve r, into the
a c c e p t a ble Ty rian silve r, minus their fe e, of course.
Slightly grainy surfaces VF $77.; bold Fine .............

$57.

EF+ As of Lugdunum Mint

VF Brass Dupondius of Antioch Mint

Fine Bronze of Amphpolis Mint

Va rious bronze denominations of Au g u s t u s, Rome mint or

other widespread cities of the empire. 31 B.C. and later.
Some posthumous issues b y Tiberius occur. Obv.:portrait
of emperor. R ev. : p l owing scene, alter deities or others.
EF+ $677.; VF $277.; large Fine $77.; small Fine
(see Tiberius Bronze)..............................................

$37.

Holy Land, 0 A.D.

B r o n ze Prutah of Herod Archelaus, one of Herod's more

fo rtunate sons, ruled Judaea 4 B. C. to 6 A.D. Au g u s t u s
confirmed him as "ethnarch", a title which appears on his
coins in Greek. He clashed with the faithful Jews in
J e rusalem, ruled so bru t a l l y, and was so disliked (Luke
19 :14 ), that Augustus removed hi m from off ice,
confiscated his wealth, and banished him to Gaul.
Augustus then made Judaea a subdivision of the province
of Syria, with the ruler an appointed Roman prefect.

O bv. : P r ow of Galley, HPW, Greek for Herod. R ev. : ETHN,

in Gree k, for eth narch, i nside wreath. Fine $ 97. ;
VG $47.; G ..............................................................

$17.

O bv. : bunch o f grapes on vine. " H e r o d " R ev. : ta ll

crested helmet, "Ethnarch." VF $197.;Fine $97.; VG $47.;
G .............................................................................

$17.

Youth of Christ

Bronze Prutah of Coponius, 6 to 9 A.D., prefect of Judaea,

appointed by Au g u s t u s. O bv. : ear of barl ey, "of Caesar"
Rev.:palm tree, "year 36"of Augustus, or 6 A.D. Very Fine
$177.;Fine $77.; VG $27.; date not visible in VG so they
could be 6 to 12 A.D., including the next prefect.

Fine

Bronze Prutah of Marcus Ambibulus, prefect of Judaea 9 to

12 A.D., also appointed by Augustus. Obv.:ear of barley,
"of Caesar." R ev. : palm tree, " year 39." " 4 0 " or " 4 1 " o f
Augustus, 9, 10, or 11 A.D. Very Fine $197.; Fine...

$77.

B r o n ze Prutah of Va l e rius Gra t u s, prefect of Judaea 15 to

26 A.D., appointed by T i b e ri u s, stepson of Au g u s t u s.
O bv. : " T i b e rius Caesar" in wreath. R ev. : " Ju l i a " ( a l s o
k n own as Livia, mother of T i b e rius), palm branch, and
year 4, 5, or 11 = 17, 18 or 24 A.D. VF $177.; F $77.;
VG $27.; year not visible.

The Tribute Penny

The "Tribute Penny of the Bible," Mark 12:14-17, was a silver

denarius of the Roman emperor Tiberius, the third of the
Twe l ve Caesars, who ruled from 14 to 37 A.D. O bv. :
laureate bust of Tiberius. Rev.:Livia?, his mother, seated.
EF $397.; VF $297.; F $177.; VG ............................ $127.

Tiberius Bronze

B r o n ze quadrans from the Pa rium mint of T i b e ri u s, 14-37

A.D. Obv.: bare head of Tiberius. Rev.: retired legionnaire
p l owing his retirement fa rm . Whole coloni es we r e
populated by soldiers who received land after their 20
years of service. VF $97.; Fine ...............................

$37.

COINS OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY

JONATHAN K. KERN

continued

100%

150%

100%

JONATHAN K. KERN

continued

"Tribute Penny in Gold"

Gold aureus of T i b e ri u s, same dates and designs as the

silver, hence the nickname. VF+, edge bump.......... $2177.

The Crucifixion

B r o n ze Prutah stru ck by Pontius Pilate as prefect or

p r o c u rator of Ju d a e a . The early title for this office wa s
p r e fect, and it was not officially designated procura t o r
until the reign of Claudius, 41-54 C.E.He was appointed
by Tiberius Caesar, the stepson of Augustus Caesar and
the third of the Twelve Caesars who ruled Rome from 14
to 37 A.D. Pontius Pilate ruled in the Holy Land from 26 to
36 A.D. He presided over the trial of Jesus Christ and
ordered the Crucifixion only after the mob threatened to
riot.

The first type was struck in 29 A.D. and features three barley

ears surrounded by the name Julia (Tiberi u s ' m o t h e r
usually known as Livia) and her title. On the reverse is the
sacrificial ladle called a simpulum, surrounded by Greek
letters reading "of T i b e rius Caesar year 16." VF $277.;
Fine $77.; VG ..........................................................

$47.

The second type was struck in 30 to 31 A.D. and features a

lituus or cur ved wand of an augur on the obve r s e
surrounded by "Tiberius Caesar"in Greek.The foretelling
of the future by augury was an important element in
Roman religion and the implements of the high pri e s t s
occur regularly on Roman coins. Not surp ri s i n g l y, the
Romans once again offended the Jews with this symbol
of augury, which was specifically prohibited by Jewish law.
The reverse has the date, "year 17 or 18"surrounded by a
wreath. VF $277.; Fine $77.; VG .............................

$47.

Bronze Prutah of Herod Agrippa, King of Judaea 37 to 44

A . D. He was educated in Rome and was a friend of
C a l i g u l a 's. O bv. : umbrella or canopy. R ev. : three ears of
b a rl ey. S t ru ck 41/42 A.D. in Jeru s a l e m . VF $97.; F $47.;
VG ..........................................................................

$17.

Paul's Journeys

VF $177.

S i l ver cistophoric tetra d rachm, about 12.6 gra m s, of

E p h e s u s, the Greek city in Asia Minor visited by the
Apostle Paul during his 2nd and 3rd journeys. Struck 189-
133 B.C. on a light standard to keep the circulation local.
O bv. : s n a ke emerging from basket, surrounded by ivy
wreath.Rev.:snake on either side of bow case. EF $277.;
VF $177.; Fine.........................................................

$97.

125%

100%

125%

100%

125%

COINS OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY

100%

EF, 22/21 B.C.

$977.

Big Abt. Unc. 90/89 B.C.

$1277.

100%

4/5 A.D. VF

$677.

EF, not round

$775.

2/3 A.D.

EF $877.

1/2 A.D. VF

Planchet defects $477.

100%

9/10 A.D. EF

$977.

5/6 A.D.

EF+, small planchet

$677.

1/2 A.D.

Fine due to worn die $377.

1 B.C./1 A.D.

EF+, few spots, $1277.

100%

Star of Bethlehem?

Three of the shekels in this hoard had an unusual star

c o u n t e rm a r k carefully stamped bel ow th e ear of
M e l q u a rth, two dated 12/11 B. C. and one 20/19 B. C. O f
the hundreds and hundreds of Melquarth shekels of Tyre
examined by me, I have never seen any test or "banker's"
marks of any kind.It is fun to think that the appearance of
a ve ry bright star or comet about 4 B. C. inspired the
countermarkings of this Temple silver. VF ............... $1775.

THIRTY PIECES

OF SILVER

The "Thirty Pieces of Silver"paid to Judas for his betrayal of

C h rist has always been designated as a tetra d ra c h m
(Phoenecian standard of 14.2 grams) or shekel, of the
Phoenecian city of Ty r e. Tyre was an independent city
after 126 B. C. and prospered as an important seaport .
The Jewish law required that the annual temple tax fo r
every male Jew be paid in the form of Tyrian silver, long
known for its full weight and high fineness. The shekels of
Tyre feature Melquarth, or the Tyrian version of Hercules,
on the ob verse and an eagle and the club of Hercules on
the reve r s e. This design continues from 126 B. C. to the
First Revolt of Judaea.

There are some interesting debates concerning this Ty ri a n

s i l ve r. By 20 B. C. the output of silver tetra d rachms of
Antioch dominated the economy of the Roman East, and
s eve ral distinguished scholars believe the Tyre mint wa s
closed, and the production of "Tyrian shekels" was moved
to Jerusalem about 18 B.C., and supervised by Herod and
his successors, with the permission of Augustus, to fill the
demand for these pure silver coins to pay the temple tax.
The most telling ancient source is from the Jew i s h
Ta l mud, in Tosephta Kethuboth 13,20: " S i l ve r, wheneve r
mentioned in the Pentateuch, is Ty rian silve r. What is a
Tyrian silver? It is a Jerusalemite."

A.D. Choice EF $877.; Choice VF $577.;VF, minor defects

$477.; Fine .............................................................. $377.

Claudius Silver of Ephesus

S i l ver cistophorus of the Roman emperor Claudius, 41-54

A.D. Obv.: bare head of Claudius in fine style "TI CLAVD
CAES AVG." Rev.:COM ASI, Claudius in temple, crowned
by goddess, ROM ET AVG inscribed above. Paul's visits to
Ephesus were during the reign of Claudius, who had
issed an edict expelling Jews from Rome. S i l ve r s m i t h i n g
was an important craft of Ephesus mentioned in Acts
19:23-27 and the Roman coins minted there by Greek
artisans often surpassed those of the Italian mint itself in
qual ity and bea uty. V F, fa int field graffi ti $775.;
VF+ $1077.; EF....................................................... $2700.

Fine+

666: The Number of the Beast

S i l ver tetra d rachm from the Antioch mint of the emperor

Nero. Sixth of the Twelve Caesars, he ruled from 54 to 68
A.D. He is most famous for his active persecution of the
e a rly Chri s t i a n s. Peter and Paul were both martyred in
Rome during his reign.Isaac Asimov in his book, REALM
OF NUMBERS, states his belief that the number of the
beast, 666, from Revelation 13:1-18, is a mathematical
c o d eword for the name of the Roman emperor: N e r o
Claudius Domitius. To the early Christians persecuted for
their beliefs, and burned at the stake when they refused to
sacrifice to the emperor; the Roman empire had become
H e l l . N e r o, commanding the mighty legions of Rome,
officered by his pagan centuri o n s, and who eve n t u a l l y
became quite insane with his megalomania, certainly fit a
description for Satan.

If these writings of St.John were to fall into the hands of the

authorities, all they would read was an allegory of some
hellish demon tormenting the faithful on earth and
demanding to be worshipped above all other gods. V F
$377.; F $127.; VG ..................................................

$77.

Bronze Prutah of Porcius Festus, procurator of Judaea from

59 to 62 A.D. under Nero. O bv. : N e r o 's name in wreath.
R ev. : Palm branch, " C a e s a r, year 5." S t ru ck 59 A.D. V F
$157.; F $67.; VG ....................................................

$27.

Fine

Bronze Prutah struck 54 A.D. by Antonius Felix, procurator

of Judaea under Claudius and Nero, 52 to 59 A.D. Two
types, either F $97.; VG...........................................

$47.

100%

Nero Gold

Gold aureus of Nero, 54-68 A.D. Rome mint.Obv.: laureate

bust of Nero. Rev.:Salus enthroned.VF/F, lightly cleaned,
rev. rim marks.......................................................... $1977.

JONATHAN K. KERN

continued

COINS OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY

125%

100%

115%

100%

125%

100%

Maxentius, Public Enemy, and

Brother in Law of Constantine

Billon (bronze look) follis of Maxe n t i u s, 306-312 A.D. T h i s

son of Maximianus was soon at odds with the other
t e t ra c h s, and rebelled. F i rmly entrenched in Rome and
Italy, he held power until 312 A.D. when Constantine and
his much smaller ar my under the standards of Christianity
d e feated Maxentius at the battle of Milvian bri d g e. O bv. :
laureate bust of Maxentius. Rev.: Temple, the Dioscuri, or
Romulus and Remus. EF $67.; VF $37.; F..............

$17.

Abt. Unc.

Silver antoninianus, or double denarius, of Otacilia Severa.

O bv. : Diademed and Draped B ust of Otaci lia on a
crescent (which indicates on empresses'coins the double
d e n a rius denomination). R ev. : m a ny different gods and
goddesses. Choice Unc.$97.;Abt.Unc.$57.;EF $37.;VF
$27.; F.....................................................................

$19.

Unc.

Silver antoninianus, or double denarius, of Philip I "the Arab,"

emperor from 244 to 249 A.D. Philip was the leading
g e n e ral of the empire and came to power by deposing,
then executing, Gordian III. Philip was apparently a
C h ristian, as well as his wife, Otacilia Seve ra . S a i n t
C h rysostom, an early Christian historian, records the
arrival of Philip and his wife at church in Antioch on Easter
eve. The bishop refused him entry and said that even the
emperor of the world would not be allowed to take part in
the service as long as his hands were stained with the
blood of Gordian's murder. Philip performed some kind of
penance and was welcomed by the wo r s h i p p e r s. O bv. :
D raped Bust of Philip we a ring a radiate crown (which
indicates the double denarius denomination).Rev.: many
different gods and goddesses. Choice Unc.$97.;Abt.Unc.
$47.; EF $27.; F-VF.................................................

$19.

Unc.

S i l ver denarius of Julia Mammaea, mother of Seve ru s

A l ex a n d e r, stru ck during her son's reign. Some believe
she was the real power behind the Roman t hrone.
There is evidence that she was educated in Christianity by
the bishop Origen of Alex a n d ri a . O bv. : Diademed and
Draped Bust of the empress mother. Rev.:many different
gods and godd esses. U n c . $ 1 7 7 . ; A b t . U n c . $ 9 7 . ;
EF $47.; VF .............................................................

$27.

VF Judaea Capta

S i l ver denarius of Vespasian, tenth of the Twe l ve Caesars,

69 to 79 A.D. He was the general leading the Roman
legions against the Jew s, but when Nero committed
suicide he returned to Rome to seek the imperial purple,
l e aving his son Titus to fight in the Holy Land .
Obv.:laureate bust of Vespasian.Rev.:IVDAEA, mourning
J ewish captive, seated at foot of military trophy of
captured arms and arm o u r. VF $677 .; F $27 7.;
VG $127.; G ............................................................

$67.

Gold Vespasian

Gold aureus of Vespasian, 69/70 A.D. Lyon mint. O bv. :

laureate bust of Ve s p a s i a n . R ev. : Fo rtuna holding globe.
F++/F, faint edge and rim smoothing....................... $1577.

Fine+

Silver denarius of Titus, eleventh of the Twelve Caesars, 79

to 81 A.D. The arch of Titus, still standing in Rome near
the Colosseum, is decorated with stone reliefs depicting
his triumphal procession through Rome after the defeat of
the Jews. The loot from the Temple is shown, including the
fa bulous golden menora h . O bv. : laureate bust of T i t u s.
R ev. : Four horse chariot in slow victory procession. V F
$497.; F $177.; VG ..................................................

$77.

Silver denarius of Domitian, brother of Titus, and last of the

Twe l ve Caesars, 81 to 96 A.D. The gospels of Matthew,
Luke and John are believed to have been written about 85
to 90 A.D. O bv. : laureate bust of Domitian. R ev. : u s u a l l y
M i n e rva in arm o u r, holding spear and shield. A b t .U n c .
$347.; EF $177.; VF $77.; F ....................................

$27.

Domitian Gold

Gold aureus of Domitian as Caesar, 77/78 A.D. u n d e r

Vespasian.Obv.: laureate bust of Domitian. Rev.:Captive
Gaul? Kneeling, offering standards. Choice Fine.... $1677.

S i l ver denarius of Septimus Seve ru s, emperor 193 to 211

A . D. S e p t i mus doubled the legion's wages and reduced
the fineness of the denarius to 50%. In 202 A.D. h e
decreed Christian baptism to a criminal act.Obv.:laureate
bust of emperor. Rev.:many different gods or goddesses.
Abt. Unc. $67.; EF $47.; VF.....................................

$27.

Gem Unc.

Gold aureus of Severus Alexander, 230 A.D., Obv.:laureate

bust of Seve rus A lex a n d e r. R ev. : R o mulus wa l k i n g ,
c a r rying trophy over shoulder and spear. A spectacular
gem Unc.! ............................................................... $5700.

Unc.

Early Christian Influence

S i l ver denarius of Seve rus Alex a n d e r, emperor 222 to 235

A.D. This emperor worshipped Christ, but only as part of
his personal pantheon of gods, which included deified
Caesars, Christ, Abraham, and Orpheus. He was a wise
and fair ruler, and during his reign the denarius was struck
on an improved silver standard. O bv. : laureate bust of
S eve rus Alex a n d e r. R ev. : va rious gods or goddesses.
Gem Unc. $ 2 9 7 . ; U n c . $ 1 7 7 . ; A b t . U n c . $ 6 7 . ; EF $37.;
VF ...........................................................................

$27.

Abt. Unc.

Roman Coinage Reform

Large billon follis, post reform, struck 295-305 A.D. The new

large follis was worth 5 now heavily debased denari.The
new silver argentus, with the resurrected silver content of
the noble first century denarius, would buy 5 of these new
fo l l e s. O bv. : laureate bust of Diocletian. R ev. : S t a n d i n g
n a ked Genius of the Roman people. Mint mark below.
Choice Abt.Unc.as much silvering as possible, $97.;EF+
$57.; VF...................................................................

$37.

Unc.

Billion (5% silver) antoninianus of Diocletian, pre-refo rm ,

284-295 A.D. He was the last sole ruler of the Roman
Empire to actively persecute the Christians. When in high
grade, the 5% silver is concentrated on the surface. The
best theory of minting base silver revo l ves around
planchet preparation.The blanks were soaked in a brine
( s t raight salt water?) solution which carried away the
copper atoms on the surfa c e, leaving the less reactive
silver atoms to concentrate on the surface. Striking further
compacts this very thin silver layer, giving this very base
a l l oy coin a handsome, though tempora ry finish. O bv. :
Radiate bust of Diocletian. R ev. : Usually Diocletian
receiving a globe surmounted with V i c t o ry from Ju p i t e r.
Unc., as much silve ring as possibl e, PQ stri ke and
planchet. $67.; EF+ $37.; Sometimes slightly dirty.

Unc.

S i l ver antoninianus of Trajan Decius, emperor from 249 to

251 A.D. He persecuted the Christians active l y, perhaps
because his rival Philip had been one, and Pope Fabian
was the most famous martyr of his reign. O bv. : D ra p e d
Bust of Trajan Decius wearing a radiate crown.Rev.:many
different gods and goddesses. Choice Unc.$97.;Abt.Unc.
$57.; EF $37.; VF ....................................................

$27.

Unc.

S i l ver antoninianus of Philip II, young son of Philip I and

Otacilia Seve ra . He was made co-emperor by his fa t h e r
and executed in 249 A.D. after his father lost in battle to
the rebel Trajan Decius. O bv. : D raped Bust of the boy
Philip we a ring a radiate crow n . R ev. : The young Philip
standing in arm o r, holding a spear and a globe of the
wo rl d . Ch oice Unc. $ 9 7 . ; A b t . U n c . $ 5 7 . ; EF $37.;
VF $27.; F ...............................................................

$19.

Constantine Bronze

Constantine I bronze fo l l e s, c. 315-337 A.D. O bv. : l a u r e a t e

and draped bust of emperor. Rev.:Usually Sol or Jupiter.
EF+, erratic strikes and preservation ...................... $17.75

Abt. Unc.

Christianity as the State Religion

Billon follis circa 308-314 A.D. (about 20mm in diameter) of

Constantine the Great as Au g u s t u s, 307 to 337 A.D. T h e
night before the battle of Milvian Bri d g e, Constantine had a
vision of an angel showing him a Chri s t o gram, or
C h i - R h o, the first two letters in Greek of the name of
C h ri s t . And the angel said: "Hoc Signo Victro Eri s " (In this
sign you shall conquer). D i s p l aying the sign of the cross on
shields and standards, the legions of Constantine we r e
v i c t o ri o u s. Constantine accepted Christianity in 312 A.D. ,
although he waited until his deathbed in 337 A.D. to be
b a p t i zed, Christianity became the dominant religion
through We s t e rn culture through to the 21st Century. O bv. :
laureate bust of Constantine I. R ev. : Standing naked figure
of Jove (Jupiter or Zeus) holding sceptre and globe. M i n t
m a rk below. A b t .U n c .$ 9 7 . ; EF $57.; V F..................

$37.

Constantine the Great

as Caesar, EF+

Billon follis (about 26mm diameter) of Constantine the

Great, as Caesar, 306 to 307 A.D. Diocletian had split the
empire into East and West, with an Augustus ruling each
region, and a Caesar, or heir to the throne for each region.
After the death of his fa t h e r, Constantius I, Augustus of
the West and leading general , the ve r y pop ular
Constantine was proclaimed emperor by the legions
without respect for the nominal heir; S eve rus II, bu t
Constantine declined (for the moment) and accepted the
s u b s e rvient role of Caesar of the West under the new l y
c o n f i rmed Au g u s t u s, Seve rus II. O bv. : laureate bust of
Constantine I. Rev.: Standing naked figure of the Genius
of the Roman people, holding wreath and cornu c o p i a e,
mint mark below. L ower grades look more bronze. E F +
$247.; VF $97.; F $47.; VG ......................................

$27.

100%

Jerusalem the Holy

S i l ver Shekel of the First Revolt, year 2, 67-68 A.D., Obv. :

chal ice w ith pea rled ri m . R ev. : stem of t hree
pomegranates. Abt. Unc. Few tiny copper spots ..... $2700.

Bronze Prutah of the Jewish War or "First Revolt"struck 67

to 69 A.D. The siege and capture of Jerusalem resulted in
the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. So many captured
Jews were on the market that the prices of slaves in the
Roman empire dropped to an all time low. O bv. : t wo
handled amphora with broad rim.Rev.: grape leaf on vine.
VF $197.; F $77.; VG $37.; G ..................................

$17.

JONATHAN K. KERN

441 S. Ashland Ave., Lexington, Kentucky 40502

To order, call

(859) 269-1614

between 9 AM & 5 PM EST

Professional Numismatist · Bachelor of Arts in Numismatics

24-hour FAX only: (859) 266-7900

Email: JKernCoins@aol.com

AUTHENTICITY & SATISFACTION GUARANTEED!

MAIL ORDER POLICIES

1. All coins guaranteed as described. ANA and common

sense grading. Your satisfaction guaranteed!

2. 14 day return privilege or approval service can be

arranged with proper references.

3. Personal checks of unknown customers must clear.

References may be required. VISA, MasterCard and
American Express accepted.

4. Kentucky residents add 6% sales tax.
5. All coins sent insured or registered! Orders less than

$200 please add $4.00 for postage and handling.

6. Most coins are one-of-a-kind. Second choices

appreciated.

7. Visits by appointment only.

COINS OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY

100%

Terra cotta flask from the
Holyland.Probably 100 to
600 A.D. Stands 5 to 6
inches high ............. $67.

Similar oil lamps but decorated with
Christian symbolism, usually a cross, but
some have a fish, dove or Greek chi-rho.
Very Fine $97.; Fine ........................ $67.

OLD BRONZE CROSSES

FROM THE BALKANS

c. 900-1700 A.D.

Usually 1 to 3" high, all these have

intact loops for easy wearing

$137.

$127.

$67.

$97.

$167.

$97.

$177.

BRONZE RINGS

Old bronze ring

decorated with

pentagram.

Wearable

$97.

Old bronze ring

decorated with

cross. Wearable

$127.

Please note that a specific grade of a coin may sell out. Please

give us direction for your 2nd or 3rd choices as substitutes.

100%

Christ in Silver

S i l ver groshes of Ivan Alexander and Michael Asen,

co-rulers in Bulgaria, 1331-1355 A.D. Obv.:standing figure
of Christ.Rev.:Ivan and Michael standing, holding banner
between them. EF $57.; VF $37.; Fine ....................

$27.

100%

Madonna and Child in Silver

S i l ver denars of the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I,

1503-1564, for use in Hungary. Dates ava i l a bl e, 1528,
1529, 1532, 1535, and 1536.Choice EF-AU $37.each, or
5 different dates for ................................................. $157.

Te r ra cotta oil lamps from the Holyland. Ancient and

medieval.Usually brick red, beige, or black with very light
to very heavy dirt and encrustation.Usually 3 to 4 inches
long. Each ...............................................................

$37.

True Cross in Jerusalem

Gold solidus of Heraclius, Byzantine emperor from 610-641

A . D. The Persians captured the Holy Land and took the
True Cross to Ctesiphon. Heraclius was a great general,
often leading his own troops into battle. He routed the
Persian armies and restored the True Cross to Jerusalem.
Obv.:Heraclius with one or two sons. Rev.:the True Cross
on four steps as displayed in the church. VF $227.; E F
$277.; Abt. Unc. $347.; blazing Unc. ....................... $477.

EF+

Gold solidus of Justinian I, the Great.527-565 A.D. emperor

in the Roman East or Byzantine Empire. C o n s t a n t i n o p l e
m i n t . Justinian was famous for expanding the empire,
codifying Roman law, and building the amazing church of
St. Sophia, still standing in Istanbul today. Obv.:armored
and helmeted bust of Justinian facing, holding globe
surmounted by a cross. Rev.:Angel (or Victory) standing
holding long cross and globus cru c i g e r. A b t . U n c . $ 2 7 7 . ;
EF $247.; VF ........................................................... $217.

$7. Cross Bronzes

Small Roman bronzes, c.390 to 490 A.D. Poorly made and

l ow gra d e, but they feature the first use of the Chri s t i a n
cross as a central motif. F $47.; VG $17.; G............

$7.

Abt. Unc.

Bronze of Julian II, the Apostate, 360 to 363 A.D. Julian was

a nephew of Constantine the Great who was the last
pagan emperor of Rome. O bv. : l a r g e : diademed and
d raped bust of Ju l i a n .S m a l l : helmeted bust of Ju l i a n
holding spear and shield. Rev.: large: bull with two stars.
S m a l l : d e c l a ration of vows in wreath. S m a l l : Choice Abt.
Unc.$97.;EF-AU $67.;different designs VF $37.;F $17.;
Large: EF $377.; VF $217.; F $77.; VG ...................

$37.

Gold solidus of Constantine VII with his son Romanus II,

945-959 A .D. O bv. : bust of Christ we a ring ni mbu s
c ru c i g e r, raising right hand in benediction, and book of
Gospels in left.Rev.:Constantine and Romanus with long
cross between. Constantinople mint. EF+............... $477.

EF, Christ in Bronze

A n o nymous bronze follis of the Byzantine Empire 969 to

1081 A.D. Obv.:Bust of Christ, or he is shown standing or
e n t h r o n e d . R ev. : L e g e n d s, crosses, or V i r g i n . E F, sharp
facial fe a t u r e s, rare $197.; VF $77.; F $37.; VG $22.;
Multiple orders can be filled with different types as
available.

Christ in Electrum

Electrum (silver-gold alloy) scyphate (cup-shaped) nomisma

of Michael VII, 1071-1078 A.D. O bv. : Bust of Chri s t
wearing nimbus cruciger. Rev.: bust of Michael VII holding
l a b a rum and globus cru c i g e r. Constantinople mint. V F,
slight defects $247.; EF or better ............................ $327.

Gold bezant of the Crusader kingdom of Jerusalem, circa

1187 to 1250 A.D. O bv. and Rev. : nonsense resembl i n g
Islamic script, so illiterate locals would accept them.
S t ru ck until the Pope prohibited these non-Chri s t i a n
d e s i g n s, w hich, if copi ed correctly, would have
been praising Allah. Choice EF+ $397.; VF+ cru d e l y
struck ...................................................................... $297.

Gold scyphate hyperpyron of John III of Nicaea.1222-1254

A . D.The royal family of the Byzantine Empire moved to
Nicaea during the occupation of Constantinople by the
Ve n e t i a n s. O bv. : C h rist enthroned. R ev. : John being
c r owned by the Virgin Mary. EF+ $297.; EF $247.; V F,
clipped or weak strike ............................................. $197.

100%

Unc. Gold

Licinius I, co-emperor, 308-324 A.D. gold aureus stru ck

321/322 A.D. at the Nicomedia mint.Licinius was married
to Constatine's half-sister, and in 313 A.D. the two Augusti
issued the Edict of Milan granting religious tolera t i o n
throughout the empire, although in the East, Maximinus II
co nducted p ersecutions of the C hristi ans unti l he
was defe ate d by Licin ius. The unea sy all iance of
Constantine and Licinius lasted until Constantine defeated
Licinius in battle in 324 A.D. Obv.:laureate bust of Licinius.
R ev. : Jupiter enthroned on high platfo rm, eagle at fe e t .
Unc.......................................................................... $5700.